Stay after the free virtual screening for a lively conversation with filmmaker Debbie Lum, as well as Richard Shapiro and Ian Wang, both featured in the film.

Presented by Alameda County Library in partnership with Albany FilmFest.

Paul Straghalis

Try Harder!

Try Harder! Followed by a Q&A + Discussion.

At Lowell High School, the top-ranked public school in San Francisco, 70% of the students are Asian-American. Competition for spots at their dream colleges is stiff, and an anxious cram culture pervades the senior class. Debbie Lum’s sympathetic documentary simultaneously celebrates the multi-talented Lowell teens, as well as exposes the overwhelming stress put on high schoolers.